Bihar Current Affairs 25 July 2026

Welcome to the Bihar current affairs brief for 25 July 2026, curated for BPSC Prelims and Mains aspirants. Today’s edition tracks a conservation milestone at the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar’s placement in NITI Aayog’s new Investment Friendliness Index, the state’s textile investment gains at Bharat Tex 2026, the rollout of electric AC buses under the central PM-eBus Sewa scheme, and a new specialised university in Bhagalpur. Each item below carries the background, a Bihar-specific relevance note for Prelims and Mains, and a quick-revision fact table, followed by a consolidated Fact File and five practice MCQs.

1. Valmiki Tiger Reserve Nears Capacity, Bihar Plans Tiger Relocation

Why in News: With the tiger population at the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran crossing 50 and nearing the reserve’s carrying capacity, the Bihar Forest Department has moved to explore relocating surplus tigers to other reserves, with Bihar’s proposed second tiger reserve at Kaimur among the destinations under active discussion.

Background: Valmiki Tiger Reserve is Bihar’s only tiger reserve, notified in 1990 as the 18th tiger reserve of India, located in the Gangetic plains along the Indo-Nepal border. Its tiger count rose sharply from eight in 2010 to 48 adults by 2021, and current estimates place the number above 50, making it one of India’s highest-density tiger habitats. As a reserve approaches saturation, territorial conflict among big cats and straying into human settlements both increase, which is why wildlife managers use planned relocation to spread the gene pool and ease pressure. Officials have discussed sending tigers from Valmiki to reserves that have suitable prey and habitat but low tiger numbers, with Bihar’s upcoming Kaimur Tiger Reserve seen as a likely destination. Such translocations are carried out under the technical supervision of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The move reflects the success of Project Tiger and habitat management in a state better known for its floodplains than its forests.

Bihar Relevance:

• Prelims: VTR is the only tiger reserve in Bihar; the core lies in the Someshwar and Dun ranges of the Shivalik-Bhabar-Terai belt, with the Gandak and Masan rivers flowing through it.
• Prelims: Tiger relocations across states are cleared by the NTCA, a statutory body under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Mains (GS3): Discuss how carrying-capacity-driven translocation supports metapopulation management and reduces human-wildlife conflict, while noting the ecological and social precautions such moves demand.

2. NITI Aayog Investment Friendliness Index 2026: Bihar’s Standing

Why in News: NITI Aayog released the Investment Friendliness Index (IFI) 2026, a state-ranking framework, and Bihar was placed at the lower end among the large states, prompting attention to the state’s investment climate ahead of fresh industrial policy pushes.

Background: The Investment Friendliness Index is a data-driven tool designed to measure how effectively states and Union Territories create and sustain an environment that attracts and retains investment. The framework rests on 84 indicators that combine secondary data from government and institutional sources with perception-based inputs from a primary survey of investors, so it captures both policy on paper and the experience on the ground. Categories assessed typically span infrastructure, ease of doing business, regulatory clarity, and factor-market conditions such as land and labour. In this edition Bihar ranked among the weakest large states, grouped with neighbouring Jharkhand and West Bengal, underlining structural gaps despite the state’s high headline growth. Bihar’s own economic survey has reported robust GSDP growth, so the Index highlights the gap between growth momentum and investor-perceived readiness. The findings feed directly into policy priorities such as land bank creation, single-window clearances, and sectoral incentives.

Bihar Relevance:

• Prelims: The Investment Friendliness Index 2026 is a NITI Aayog product built on 84 indicators mixing secondary data with an investor perception survey.
• Prelims: Bihar was ranked at the bottom tier among large states in IFI 2026, alongside Jharkhand and West Bengal.
• Mains (GS3): Analyse why a state with strong GSDP growth can still score low on investment friendliness, and outline reforms in land, logistics and regulatory transparency that could close the gap.

3. Bihar Draws Rs 1,476 Crore Textile Investment at Bharat Tex 2026

Why in News: At Bharat Tex 2026, India’s largest global textile event held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Bihar signed Memoranda of Understanding worth about Rs 1,476 crore, positioning the state as an emerging textile and apparel hub.

Background: Bharat Tex 2026 was organised at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi and ran as a flagship platform for the Indian textile value chain, from fibre to fashion. Bihar used the event to showcase its textile and apparel potential and secured investment commitments of roughly Rs 1,476 crore by signing MoUs with leading companies on the opening day. The state government projects that these investments will generate employment for more than 40,500 people, a significant number for a state that exports large volumes of migrant labour. Bihar’s textile pitch rests on its abundant workforce, improving power availability, and dedicated industrial and textile park infrastructure backed by the state’s textile and leather policy incentives. The commitments align with the state’s broader strategy of moving from an agrarian base toward labour-intensive manufacturing that can absorb its young population locally. Converting MoUs into operational units on the ground remains the key follow-through challenge.

Bihar Relevance:

• Prelims: Bihar secured roughly Rs 1,476 crore in textile MoUs at Bharat Tex 2026, with a projected 40,500-plus jobs.
• Prelims: Bihar’s textile push is backed by state textile and leather policy incentives and dedicated industrial parks.
• Mains (GS3): Evaluate labour-intensive textile manufacturing as a route to curb out-migration from Bihar, and the enabling factors needed to convert investment pledges into jobs.

4. Bihar to Roll Out 400 Electric AC Buses Under PM-eBus Sewa

Why in News: Bihar cleared the operational rollout of 400 electric air-conditioned buses across its major cities under the central PM-eBus Sewa scheme, with the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) partnering a private operator on a long-term concession.

Background: The rollout is anchored in PM-eBus Sewa, a Union scheme that supports the deployment of electric buses in cities through a public-private gross cost contract model, where the state pays operators per kilometre while the central subsidy lowers upfront capital cost. Under the Bihar plan, 400 AC electric buses in 35-seater and 42-seater categories will run across Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Purnia, with Patna receiving the largest share of the fleet. The buses are being introduced in phases, beginning with an initial tranche, under a multi-year operational framework starting from the 2026-27 financial year. The initiative is intended to modernise city bus transport, cut vehicular emissions and improve last-mile urban mobility in a state where formal public transport has historically been thin. Charging depots and supporting electrical infrastructure form part of the associated capital works. The green-transport shift also aligns with India’s wider commitment to reduce the carbon intensity of urban travel.

Bihar Relevance:

• Prelims: PM-eBus Sewa is a Union scheme; the Bihar rollout covers 400 electric AC buses across Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Purnia.
• Prelims: BSRTC (Bihar State Road Transport Corporation) is the state agency operating the fleet on a per-kilometre concession model.
• Mains (GS3): Assess electric bus adoption as a lever for cleaner urban mobility and the fiscal and infrastructure conditions required to sustain it in second-tier cities.

5. Bhagalpur to Get University of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science

Why in News: The Bihar government announced the establishment of a University of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science at Bhagalpur, along with plans for a dedicated University of Architecture, signalling a push into specialised higher education.

Background: The proposed University of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science is intended to build advanced skills in AI, data science and computing at a time when demand for these capabilities is rising across industry and governance. Bhagalpur, historically known for its silk and located in eastern Bihar, is being positioned as a knowledge hub through the new institution. The state paired this with an announcement of a University of Architecture, reflecting a strategy of creating subject-focused universities rather than only general degree colleges. Specialised institutions of this kind are meant to raise the quality of technical education, retain talent within the state, and feed skilled graduates into emerging sectors. The plan complements Bihar’s broader emphasis on strengthening technical and professional education and its stated AI mission for governance. Land allocation, faculty recruitment and curriculum design will determine how quickly the university becomes operational.

Bihar Relevance:

• Prelims: A University of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science has been announced for Bhagalpur, alongside a planned University of Architecture.
• Prelims: Bhagalpur, in eastern Bihar, is traditionally associated with silk (Tussar) production.
• Mains (GS2): Discuss how subject-specialised state universities can improve technical education quality and reduce talent out-migration from Bihar.

Practice MCQs

Q1. With reference to the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, consider the following statements:

1. It is the only tiger reserve located in Bihar.
2. Inter-state relocation of tigers from a reserve requires clearance from the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (a) 1 only
• (b) 2 only
• (c) Both 1 and 2
• (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2. Valmiki is Bihar’s only tiger reserve, and the NTCA is the statutory authority overseeing tiger translocations.

Q2. The Investment Friendliness Index 2026, which placed Bihar in the bottom tier among large states, was released by which body?

• (a) Reserve Bank of India
• (b) NITI Aayog
• (c) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• (d) Finance Commission

Answer: (b) NITI Aayog. The Index uses 84 indicators combining secondary data with an investor perception survey.

Q3. At Bharat Tex 2026, Bihar signed textile MoUs worth approximately how much?

• (a) Rs 476 crore
• (b) Rs 1,476 crore
• (c) Rs 4,760 crore
• (d) Rs 14,760 crore

Answer: (b) Rs 1,476 crore. The investments are projected to create more than 40,500 jobs in the state.

Q4. Bihar’s rollout of 400 electric AC buses across its major cities is being carried out under which central scheme?

• (a) FAME India Phase II
• (b) PM-eBus Sewa
• (c) Smart Cities Mission
• (d) AMRUT 2.0

Answer: (b) PM-eBus Sewa. The buses will run in cities including Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Purnia, operated through the BSRTC.

Q5. The proposed University of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science announced by the Bihar government is to be established at:

• (a) Patna
• (b) Gaya
• (c) Bhagalpur
• (d) Muzaffarpur

Answer: (c) Bhagalpur. A University of Architecture was also announced alongside it.